


Marking the Covenant: A Collection of Drabbles

by adimlytwistingplanet (Parapines)



Category: Gravity Falls, ParaNorman (2012)
Genre: BMAU, Bodymod AU, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-19
Updated: 2013-01-21
Packaged: 2017-11-26 02:37:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/645616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Parapines/pseuds/adimlytwistingplanet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of short connected fics set in the Parapines BodyMod Alternate Universe<br/>(( http://bodymodau.tumblr.com/ ))</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Connect

Norman locked his fingers together and pulled his arms up into a stretch, yawning a little as he exited the building. It had been a long shift, 6 hours straight on a sleeve to end with, his back was aching from leaning over the chair for so long. He brought his arms behind his back for another stretch and caught movement out of the corner of his eye.

“Hey kid, it’s closing time.” Norman called out to the teenager who was leaning against the wall a little way down the alley, reading some beat-up old hard cover The kid looked up, his bottom lip caught in his teeth. Norman grinned at him, his lip piercing catching the light.

The kid, as Norman called him, had been a pretty regular fixture in and around the building this past month. He’d never spoken to him, but watched as he came in to nervously flip through the promo books. He’d always leave without coming up to the counter and so the receptionist had taken to glaring at him. That may have been why he started to come inside less and less but Norman would still see him around, like today.

“I…uh…” The kid looked startled, then embarrassed. He quickly shoved the book he’d been reading into his pocket and seemed to sink further into his oversized sweatshirt, like he was trying to disappear. Norman gave him another smile and made to walk past him.

“Uh, wait!” The kid stepped forward a little, biting his lip again and looking down. 

“Hm?” Norman stopped and turned back to face him.

“I, um… Hey… does, did that hurt much?” The kid pointed the the little black ghosts that stretched up and around Norman’s arm, nervous written all over his gestures. Norman’s smile softened a little.

“Yeah, a bit, but nothing has felt as intense as when I got my rib cage done.” Norman replied, watching the kid’s eyes widen. 

“Upper arm isn’t a bad place for your first one, if you’re wondering what tends to hurt less.” Norman went on and the kids eyes snapped up from where they had been attempting to stare through his shirt, probably trying to imagine what was there. 

“Haha, Thanks.” The kid looked away again. Norman could tell he had more questions but was too shy to ask.

“Hey kid, what’s your name?” He asked.

“D-Dipper.” The kid, Dipper, stuttered to answer.

“Dipper, ok.” Norman smiled. “Come in to the shop tomorrow at noon, we’ll talk more.”

“Um, but, I, I haven’t…” Dipper started.

“It’s cool, I just said talk, right?” Norman laughed a little. “I can tell you aren’t quite sure about this yet, so I figure you probably need to talk to somebody.”

“Well…” 

“Great, see you tomorrow then kid.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: "Marking the Covenant" is the name of Norman's tattoo place.


	2. Convene

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Outsider fic: Tambry perspective

Tambry looked up from her phone to eye the boy standing awkwardly in the foyer. He had been in before but he’d never tried to talk to her. She’d pretty much labelled him a “B-back” from the get go, and though he came back in frequently he always fulfilled her expectations in the end.

He had a routine, as inattentive as she was she had noticed. He’d nervously enter, sit down in the booth closest to the door and flip through the promo book there. He’d take his time, seeming to actually study each page closely like a Collector might, but the way he sometimes nervously looked from the page to his arm painted a different picture. He’d get to the end of the book within the hour and then look towards the counter as if he was working up the nerve… before wussing out and making a b-line for the door. It was frequent enough she wondered if she should start a tally chart, but nah, that would require effort.

Today though was a different story.

Tambry watched as the kid came in, fidgeting and pulling at his hoodie. It was almost amazing, she’d never figured he could look /more/ uneasy then usual. He started a slow shuffle across the floor, inching towards the counter. Tambry looked up from her phone and arched an eyebrow and him and he stopped in his tracks.

“Hey, Dipper!” Norman’s voice cut through the awkward silence of the room. The kid straighten up a little. Looks like Norman had befriended another stray little sheep… She wrote a vague reference to this, posting to twitter.

“Uh I…” The kid’s word’s faltered. Tambry looked over to see one of their town’s more infamous bikers had exited behind Norman, standing a a head and shoulders taller then him and looking intimidating.

Glancing over and back she saw the kid was stopped in his tracks and couldn’t help but smirk a little at how pale he was as he looked up at the wall of muscle who’d come over to the counter to pay. Tambry rang him through without batting an eyelash.

“Come on kid, Step into my office.” Norman said after his previous client left, his tone teasing. Tambry bit her lip, it really was like he was gentling a skittish animal. 

“I uh, I’m…” He stuttered even!

She looked up again to see Norman just smile at the kid, who quieted and allowed himself to be led into the backroom.

Like a lamb to the slaughter.

As soon as the door shut Tambry burst out laughing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: And then Nate comes running at the sound of her laughter like OH MY GOD YOU MADE A MOUTH NOISE WHAT THE HECK IS HAPPENING. Norman checks her twitter later idly and he is highly embarrassed.


	3. Converse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The events of Convene from Norman's perspective, and the aftermath.  
> (Is almost 900 words still a drabble?)

Norman glanced up at the clock. Eleven fifty-five definitely counted as lunchtime. He started clearing everything, putting things in their place and sanitizing. It all barely took a minute being such a regular routine. He finished up before waking his client who had spent the whole appointment asleep.

He pushed open the door and threw a smile at Tambry and turned, catching sight of someone else.

“Hey, Dipper!” His smile gained extra wattage as he turned it on full force, subconsciously. He didn’t see Tambry’s smirk.

“Uh, I…” the kid, Dipper, looked nervous. his eyes were wide as he glanced up and behind him, his fidgeting making him look even younger then he probably was. Norman tried not to laugh as followed his gaze and realized why. Really, Martin was a pretty sweet guy. He waited for his more intimidating client to be rung through before speaking again.

“Come on kid, step into my office.” He couldn’t help but tease Dipper a little.  
Dipper stuttered out some nonsense before looking up at him but Norman just pushed on the door, tilting his head in invitation. Dipper stuck his hands in his pockets and followed.

When the door shut Norman sat down in his chair, turning to look at Dipper expectantly. The kid’s eyes seemed drawn to everything in the room before settling back on him, and looking away just as quickly. His hands seemed to sink even deeper into his pockets.

“So…What did he get?” Dipper asked, obviously referring to Martin. He was staring at one of Norman’s tattoo expo posters and his face looked a little more flushed then it had earlier.

“Just a touch up on an older sleeve, nothing big.” Norman said “Touch ups aren’t a thing you have to worry about much if you take proper care in the first place though.” He thought to add, not wanting to make a newbie unnecessarily nervous.

“Ah… K.” Dipper still wasn’t looking at him.

“So, an idea what you’re wanting to get?” Norman asked, jumping right in in and attempt to break the ice.

Dipper shook his head, definitely blushing now. He seemed very uncomfortable with the question, shoulders drawing back a bit.

The nerves weren’t a surprise, but he hadn’t meant to make him so uncomfortable. Norman had been been pretty nervous when he’s first decided he wanted a tattoo, though his trepidation had mostly come from how his dad would react to it.

“Hey, its ok.” Norman tried to soothe. “No big deal.” He didn’t want to scare the kid away. “No pressure. I was just wondering if you had any plans at all.”

“W-well…Before I wanted…” The kid was tugging at the sleeve of his hoodie now, kind of an endearing nervous gesture actually. “I wanted to get one to impress someone.” Dipper spoke the last part of the sentence in am embarrassed rush.

Norman had heard that one before. It was a sweet sentiment, but in the long run…

“It’s usually better to do something like this for yourself.” Norman said gently. If Dipper insisted he wouldn’t refuse of course but he couldn’t help that bit of advice.

“Well actually, that was before.” Dipper said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’ve been, looking in the books out front a lot and…” He looked away again. “It’s less, about that now…”

Norman’s smile was definitely genuine now, his teeth more visible then with the ‘polite’ one he;d had on most of today. The promo books in the shop’s lounge were full of mostly his own designs. It was a pretty flattering admission that Dipper was so attached to them.

“So, can you think of any specific one from there?” Norman asked without thinking, curious what types of things Dipper liked about his work.

“I like them all its hard to pick!” Dipper’s voice echoes through the small room the tips of the kid’s ears have turned red now. He probably hadn’t meant to be so loud, sound in here is amplified.

“Well if you wanted upper arm, we can narrow it a bit. not all my designs are for there after all.” Norman said, falling back on his advice from the day before.

Dipper tried to answer but all that came out was an unsettled sort of chuckle.

“Too much too soon?” He asked, changing tacks, trying to calm him down a little. As Dipper nodded Norman looked up at the clock.

“Well, it’s getting past my lunch break.” Norman said apologetically as Dipper’s head snapped up. He looked disheartened so Norman couldn’t help but add,

“Do you want to swing by again tomorrow?”

“S-sure.” Dipper looked startled by the invitation, like he couldn’t believe it. Norman stood and put a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s okay to be nervous about this. It’s a big decision. I’m happy to talk with you some more about it.” he tried to be reassuring, and professional.

“T-thanks.” Said Dipper, meeting his eyes finally with his own small smile. Norman’s throat ran dry.

“See you tomorrow then kid.” He said, leading him out to the lobby and waving as he left the shop. He shook his head to clear it and made for the stairs that led up to his apartment on the upper floor.


	4. Aside: Ages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During another lunch break conversation.

“You got your first tattoo at 16?!” Dipper stared, his voice rising in disbelief.

“Yeah, but, not so big a deal really, you aren't starting all that late yourself-”

“I’m 22.” Dipper cut him off, looking down. Everyone always assumed he was younger, he’d been hoping Norman hadn't though. 

“Oh… well…” Norman looked a little surprised.

“Wait,” Dipper sounded pained. “You said… you got your first, 4 years ago?” He looked up at him in dawning dread as Norman scratched the back of his neck in a sheepish gesture.

“YOU’RE ONLY 20?!”

“Guess you aren't such a kid after all..."


	5. Calenders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Calenders (389 words)

“What’s… this?” Dipper did not squeak out as he stared down at the photograph that had seemingly materialized on the table in front of him (if he had it was because of a passing cloud of helium, he’d swear under oath). 

“Last year’s “Marking the Covenant” Calender.” Nate replied. “I figured you might be interested…” He raised an eyebrow.

“W-why, would I be interested?” More helium, really they should watch those rogue helium clouds more closely. Maybe have a news cast devoted to reporting their movements.

“Because, you’re into mods?” Nate said innocently. Ignoring the fact he’d pinned it open to March, and March was apparently Norman’s month. And Norman was gazing seductively out of the PARTIALLY NUDE photograph. 

“You guys, have a Calender?” Dipper tried to continue the conversation, as soon as he realized he’d been staring again.

“Yeah, for the past 2 years anyway, ‘nother way to raise money for the animal shelter.” Nate explained, pointing out the little charity sticker on the bottom left corner of the calender part. “It was Tambry’s idea actually.”

The words “Thank God For Tambry” floated across Dipper’s mind in brilliant technicolour.

The door bell jingled and Dipper tripped in an effort to cover the calender picture, despite how inexplicit it actually was. 

“Hey, I got coffee.” Norman’s voice. Dipper froze and tried his best to move like a normal human being, picking himself up instead in robotic movements and sitting down on the sofa with a completely blank expression.

“Hey Norm, thanks. Just talking about the Calender project with the kid, he seems pretty interested…” Dipper was going to die. He would expire right now, right here. “I think maybe…”

“I LIKE PHOTOGRAPHY!” Dipper shouted, his volume crashing over the nearly empty shop like a tidal wave. Dipper turned bright red as they stared and started to talk without thinking. “I, I mean I’m not…good at it I just kind of really like it so I was interested because the photos were really good and…”

“Slow down, it’s okay.” Norman looked baffled but set a Styrofoam cup down in front of Dipper on the table. “If you want I could see about asking Thompson to show you the process.” Dipper nodded enthusiastically, unable to meet his eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> Notes: "Marking the Covenant" Is the name of Norman's tattoo place.


End file.
